Blue Dolphin FAQ's
Frequently Asked Questions
Glossary of Swimming Terms - N thru Z
We thought this glossary of those strange and wacky words we use in the sport of swimming, first published on the USA Swimming web site, would be fun to have in or FAQ section. You may or may not find these words in the English Dictionary, and if you do, their definitions will probably be radically different than the ones listed in this Glossary. Relax and take your time reading. Soon you'll be understanding and maybe even speaking some "swim slang."
Use these links at the end of each section to find a specific word or term:
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A set of times developed by USA Swimming to assist swimmers in performance planning. They are based on percentiles of the all time 16th fastest time in each stroke in each age group. River City uses these times (see "A" and "BB" Times above) to determine awards at the championship meet.
Swimming a distance, usually one length of the pool, without taking a breath from start to finish.
Used in place of the swimmer’s Seed Time (see below) to indicate that the swimmer has not previously successfully completed the event. No Time swimmers are usually seeded as the slowest swimmers in the race.
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Official Verification Card. Issued by meet officials to swimmers achieving a Junior National or Senior National time (in USAS meets only).
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A large analog or digital clock placed beside the pool to allow swimmers and coaches to time practice swims and/or the time between repeats in a set.
In certain meets, the qualifying rounds for each event to determine the finalists.
A requirement at some meets to make certain that swimmers have legally met the entry time standards for that meet.
A floatation device that is used to support the swimmer’s legs so that they can focus on or overload the arms during practice.
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The minimum (or maximum) time necessary to be allowed to enter an event. Usually used for large championship type meets or meets based on the National Time Standards (see above)
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The meet official who has the final authority over all other officials at the meet. He makes all final decisions and sees to the efficient running of the meet.
The number of swims of a particular distance and stroke that comprise a set in practice. Usually expressed as number times distance and stroke at a set interval; e.g. 12 x 50 Free @ 1:00.
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The time a swimmer uses to enter an event. These times appear on the heat sheet and the entry cards and determine the swimmer’s heat and lane assignment in a meet.
The process of assigning swimmers to lanes and heats by time. In general the swimmers with the slower seed times swim in the earlier heats. The order of swimming in the final heats depends on the type of meet.
A meet with only one age group called "Senior." Swimmers of any age who have met the qualifying times may compete.
A group of swims that the swimmers complete in training (see Repeats above).
The time a swimmer achieves in one or more laps of his race. Coaches use these times to help instruct swimmers in pacing. For example, the time for the first 50 yds in a 100 yd race is the swimmers 50-yd split. Also refers to the time achieved by each swimmer in their portion of a relay event.
The USA official responsible for starting each heat and calling the swimmers to the blocks (in River City dual meets, this person will usually also serve as the Referee).
A trained and often USAS certified official, who determines the legality of swimmers' strokes, turns and finishes and disqualifies those who do not conform to the rules.
A monthly magazine and web site about competitive swimming.
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A meet that does not require the swimmer to swim two or more times to determine the order of finish in an event; the swimmers are seeded by time, swim the race in their heats and the times from all the heats are then integrated to determine the order of finish. All River City meets, dual and championship, are timed final meets
Swimmers are assigned to lanes in heats from slowest to fastest. In a given heat, the fastest swimmers swim in the middle lanes and the slower ones on the outer lanes.
A tabulation of the top 16 times in the US in each age group and stroke. These are published annually in Swimming World. The "consideration" times that may be eligible appear in the USAS rulebook and on the CSI website. For consideration, times must be achieved in a USAS sanctioned meet (River City times are not eligible)
An electronic pad which stops a clock when the swimmer touches it at the end of the race. This is usually the official time, although corrections are made if it is determined the swimmer missed the pad or that the pad malfunctioned.
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The status a swimmer receives when changing from one USAS club to another. A swimmer must swim unattached for 120 days from the date of the last USAS meet he swam for the previous club. During this time they may compete individually, but may not be entered in relays. River City uses this designation in very limited special cases when a swimmer may choose to change teams.
Abbreviation for United States Swimming, the governing body for all amateur swimming in the United States as designated by the US Olympic Committee. National headquarters are in Colorado Springs, CO.
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